Several powerful analyses tools and architectures are currently available in the industry, such as Matlab from Mathworks.com and RapidMiner from Rapidminer.com. Specific architectures have also been developed for particular types of data analyses, such as Honeywell's IMDS (Integrated Mechanical Diagnostic System) which facilitates analyses related to off-board, condition based maintenance (CBM) programs. These systems monitor critical engine and drive train components, electronic, mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic controls, and fatigue life limited structures.
A key characteristic of these diagnostic systems surrounds their modularity; that is, their underlying code base is composed of separate (discrete) functional modules or blocks of code which, when properly combined at run time, work together as a single, integrated application. This avoids the need for developers to rewrite code for repetitive or recurring functions, such as reading temperature, sensing rotor or driveshaft speed (rpms), sampling airspeed, or the like.
The ability to reconfigure these tools is particularly useful in off board analyses. In an off board context, the user has time to “try out” various analytical approaches and algorithmic configurations, and often has access to previously captured or recorded data streams. Thus, the user can add, remove, substitute, or augment the various functional modules that make up an application with one or more additional modules, and to reconfigure the inputs to and outputs from the modules (e.g. engine temperature) to redefine the overall functionality of the application. When the reconfigured modules are recombined, the revised application—with its newly defined functionality—is recompiled and executed at run time.
Conversely, the reconfigurability of on board systems, such as flight control and diagnostic software, has not received much attention. This is primarily because once a product designed for on board deployment is proven to work in its intended environment, i.e. it has been tested and verified, there is little incentive to change the product after deployment. It can be expensive and cumbersome to re-code, retest, verify, recompile, and re-deploy the code base. This is particularly true when the underlying software is subject to certification or pre-approval, such as flight control, avionics, IMDS, and government and military applications. Moreover, in certain applications accessing the code is impractical, such as when a ship is out to sea on an extended mission or its location is secret.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide on board diagnostic systems which overcome the foregoing limitations. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.